Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Action Robert Habeck visits thyssenkrupp: Hydrogen solutions along the entire process chain as a driver of the energy transition

• thyssenkrupp presents competencies for energy transition to Minister.
• Immediate political decisions required to start off decarbonization.
• Plans for climate-neutral steel production ready for implementation.

Vice Chancellor and Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Action Robert Habeck has visited thyssenkrupp today. At Europe’s largest steel production site in Duisburg, the Minister gathered information on the path to climate-neutral steel production and on the Essen-based Group’s further plans for the green transformation.

thyssenkrupp’s plans for the changeover to green steel are ready for implementation. By realizing them, 2.5 percent of the German CO₂ emissions could be avoided and an important contribution to the creation of climate-neutral value chains be made.  Minister Habeck: “Our common goal is green steel made in Germany. This is the business model of the future. The Federal Government therefore supports the transformation process in the steel industry, for instance, by funding investment costs and by introducing climate protection contracts, by significantly expanding hydrogen production capacities and by developing the required infrastructure. I am convinced that the steel sector can become an epitome of the climate-neutral economy”.

Hydrogen solutions of thyssenkrupp along the process chain

Green hydrogen is the key element for the energy transition. The Federal Government expects the demand for 2030 to range between 90 and 110 TWh which – according to current estimations – will be covered both from national production and imports. As a result of the changeover to hydrogen-based direct reduction plants, thyssenkrupp’s steel production alone will require about 10 TWh of the climate-friendly gas as early as in 2030. Apart from the demand for hydrogen – “Demand“ –

thyssenkrupp also contributes important competencies in the fields of “Supply“ and “Infrastructure“: Innovative slewing bearings are key to the boom in wind energy. Moreover, with its electrolysis business, the company is the the world’s leading technology provider for the production of green hydrogen. As a supplier of ammonia and methanol plants the Group offers infrastructural solutions for the transport of hydrogen. In the Carbon2Chem Technical Center Minister Habeck visited a 2-MW electrolysis plant installed by thyssenkrupp.

Martina Merz, CEO of thyssenkrupp AG: “thyssenKrupp is intent on seeing and shaping the green transformation as an opportunity instead of just managing climate change. We are determined to use and to contribute our competencies along the green value chain. Our broad spectrum of expertise in pioneering technologies and different perspectives on green value chains make us a unique partner for the green transformation“.

thyssenkrupp Steel is all set for the transformation to green steel production

Minister Habeck gained detailed information about the planned first hydrogen-based direct reduction plant of thyssenkrupp Steel at the future construction site. The plant will be combined with an innovative melting unit and replace the first coal-based blast furnace in 2025. thyssenkrupp has developed a technologically mature plan to make Europe’s largest steel location climate-neutral in the most efficient way possible. The company aims to avoid as much as six million metric tons of CO₂ – representing 30 percent of the emissions produced – by 2030. The goal is to become climate-neutral by 2045 at the latest. The use of hydrogen in the steel industry has a particularly strong impact: One metric ton of green hydrogen used can avoid 26 metric tons of CO₂.

Bernhard Osburg, thyssenkrupp Steel’s CEO: “We are all set for the transformation, our plans are ready to be implemented. The changeover to climate-neutral steel production is the biggest restructuring of our plants and perhaps the most important step in our history. And it is a historic opportunity: We can prove that we are able to efficiently transform a large-scale process industry, thus keeping climate-friendly technology, value creation, innovation and employment in Germany and Europe. But we are in a competitive environment and we have no time to lose. We can do a lot, but not everything at once.

Therefore, we need the immediate support of policymakers now. The Easter package announced by the Federal Minister for Economic Affairs should be a major step in this direction“.